Another Kind of Mother's Day
by TwoVirgosGals
Summary: Frank does his best for honor Denise and Tanya on Mother's Day. Takes place one year after Jeremy's death. R/R!


**A/N: To all mothers, living and dead, here's wishing you a Happy Mother's Day with thanks and gratitude for the many sacrifices made on a daily basis for a child's happiness. For entertainment only! We do not own the characters or make any profit from the efforts.**

Denise walked through her house to the kitchen. She turns and watches one year old Molly play on the living room floor. She looks at the wall at Jeremy's picture. He's been gone just over a year, never meeting his sister or marrying Tanya. He never knew she was pregnant with his child. The baby, a boy, as born 3 months ago; he had soft brown hair, hazel eyes, and measured 20 inches long at birth. She named him Jeremy David after his father and hers.

As Denise stood there reminiscing Frank came through the front door. "Hey baby, hey Peanut," he greeted his wife and daughter.

"Daaaaa!" she squealed and took off for her father. She was a Daddy's girl is there ever was one. Frank picked her up and snuggled her, kissing her nose. She gave him a sloppy kiss back. "How was your day?" Denise asked going to give her husband a kiss.

"Good, training as usual. There is going to be a Mother's Day picnic on the parade grounds, we should go. In fact, let's call Tanya; we should go as a family."

"We can't," Denise replied shortly before returning to the kitchen to work on their supper. "We can't go as a family Frank, a vital part of our family is dead." He knew that, he'd struggled with Christmas and Jeremy's birthday more than Denise had but as Mother's Day approached, she'd been taking it hard. "I don't want to celebrate Mother's Day. Jeremy's gone."

Frank walked over to her juggling Molly. "But Molly is here, our precious baby girl, is here and you are her mother. You deserve to be celebrated".

Molly reached out to Denise, "Momomomom." She had a tiny vocabulary, but she knew what was important. "I deserve to be celebrated," she rolled her eyes. "The only baby we have is one you didn't even want and you say that. I don't want to discuss this Frank!"

"Who says I didn't want Molly? I was just surprised! Jeez, Dee, I was 44 when she was born. I wanted Molly as much as I wanted Jeremy. You know me Dee, surprises and change…they sometimes make me say and do the wrong thing at the time. Come on Dee."

She dropped the potato peeler and covered her face, "I just miss him, Frank. I miss my little boy and I hate how I feel sometimes...because I think we were only supposed to have one child...and...I hate how I feel sometimes when I want Jeremy back." She sat on the stool and sobbed her heart out.

Frank kissed Molly's head, put her down, and pointed to her toys. He watched her walk to them and turned to Denise. He put his arms around her "I understand i loved him too. He died on my watch in my company. I wasn't with him; maybe if I was he wouldn't be dead. I was with Michael in the command car. The only thing I can hold on to is the time we spent together over there. We became father and son, brothers in a war zone. I saw a man not a boy that enlisted. I saw your teachings in him Dee you would have been so proud."

She buried her face in his chest and let him absorb her pain, "I don't' understand. We're good parents; he was proof that we were good parents. He had problems but...he overcame them. We helped him overcome those problems and still...I see women that can't support themselves let alone one child with six or seven. Some family out in Iowa or wherever has 19 children...and sometimes...I'm angry at Molly for...because I feel if we were only meant to have one...we'd never miss her if we didn't know...and that sounds so awful...I hate myself for it."

"You are just upset it's the anniversary and Mother's Day is coming up. We were meant to be parents of two, remember what the doctor said; you could never get pregnant again. I believe God sent us Molly, just like Jeremy. You had all those complications, it was high risk, but you both survived. It's God's plan for us. If you don't want to go we don't have to. Let's have Tanya over so she and the baby won't be alone."

She nodded, "You can take Tanya out and I'll just stay here, okay? I don't want to go out and see those other sons...i just can't."

As they lay in bed that night he made plans to get her out of the house, all of them together but he needed to talk to Tanya first.

He got up early the next morning, told Denise he had a meeting and drove to her house. He knocked on the door and waited. He'd been to visit his grandson three or four times a week, Denise only three times total.

Tanya opened the door holding baby Jeremy looking exhausted.

"Here let me take him." As he picked up the baby, he followed Tanya to the kitchen where she made coffee and they could talk."How are you going Tanya?"

"Tired, missing Jeremy, I just feel awful."

Frank smiled at her. "Well I'm here to help".

"He cries all the time," she said sitting down. "All the time, no matter what I do he cries. He hates me."

Frank chuckled, "No, he's just colicky like Jeremy. I'll get you some fennel seeds from the store later on, actually why don't you let me take the little guy for the night, sort of an early payback for the favor 'I'm going to ask of you."

Tanya raised an eyebrow for Frank to continue.

"I need your help to get Denise to go out for a Mother's Day celebration, you and the baby included. She refuses to go to the post celebration. I want to go to Jeremy's grave and put flowers down then go to the bay restaurant; you know the one on the water, with the great crab cakes."

Tanya beamed and Frank laughed, "My two mothers, so much alike."

Tanya nodded, "I will be happy to help. She's been so wonderful, especially right after he...Anything I can do I will do and yes, please take Jeremy with you, I am so tired I can't see straight."

Frank helped pack an overnight bag and spare bottles for Jeremy. He then loaded everything in the truck. Tanya had followed him out and handed him the baby. "Are you sure this will be okay with Denise?"

Frank smiled "It's her grandson and she loves him don't worry. See you tomorrow, get some rest." He kissed her forehead and left for home.

Denise had Molly outside running and playing. She saw Frank get out of the truck with the baby, "Nice meeting," she laughed. "What's wrong? Why is he here?"

"Tanya is exhausted, so I volunteered us to babysit. She said he was colicky."

"Just like Jeremy", and she picked him up. She smiled and the baby smiled back.

Molly ran up to Denise "Me see baby". Denise kneels down and Molly looks at the baby and laughs. Frank knelt down next to Molly. "This is your nephew baby Jeremy".

"Jmy" she repeated and lightly patted his head.

"Yes," Denise smiled and laid the baby on a blanket to kick and enjoy the sun. "I'm sorry I said those things last night Frank. I am very sorry I said those things. It's my...hormones I guess they are out of control."

'It's ok I need to take his things in then go to work. You'll be ok?"

She looked up at him "we'll be fine. Just get some sun, then inside."

Frank got home that night with the fennel seeds and Denise brewed the tea for the baby. Frank held him while he suckled his bottle, "You are so good with him," she said sitting with Molly in her lap. "Ever think of us trying for another one?"

"Dee, we're in our mid-forties. Molly will be graduating college and I'll be in my sixties."

Denise laughed. "But you look so good for an old man."

Frank shot her a look then burped the baby. "You ready to go to sleep little man?"

"I set the travel crib in our room," Denise said then picked up Molly. "Come on Molly, let's go sleepy". As she walked to Molly's room she thought tomorrow is Mother's day".

Molly decided that her Daddy hadn't played with her enough that day and kept trying to get out of her bed. She fussed and cried, Denise would rock her then she'd fuss again. Finally though she dropped off. Denise slid into bed with Frank, "Last mother's day was so special."

"This one will be too. We have our grandson and our precious baby girl. I miss him but I know he looks down and smiles that we have gone on. I know he would have been a good dad. Don't forget you promised lunch tomorrow."

"Where are we going? It's a surprise." He leaned over and kissed her good night.

They were awakened a short time later to Molly's shrill screams and cries. They'd never heard her like that before and both parents shot out of their bed and ran. They found her on the floor in her room; she's awakened and tried to get out of her crib.

Denise picked her up and sat in the rocking chair to inspect her for injuries."Is she ok Dee?"

"Yes just bruised. Molly why did you climb out of your crib?"

"DADADA!" She raised her arms for him to hold her.

Frank took her and held her, "Did Daddy spend too much time with baby Jeremy?" Frank asked and rocked her. "You sure she's okay, should we take her to the ER?" Frank was as nervous as new mom when it came to Molly.

"She's okay, Frank, just scared. She'll be okay." Frank gently swayed Molly helping her relax. "Let's take her to bed with us. We can watch her just to make sure".

"Frank..." she sighed. "Okay...let's go, come on princess, let's go back to bed. Daddy's going to take us to lunch tomorrow. You can try a bite of crab..."

Molly bit her father's nose as Denise said that. "She already did," Frank laughed and tucked Molly into bed.

As Denise walked back to bed she looked at the baby sleeping. She thought, "You look so much like your Daddy."

She climbed into the bed and smiled at Frank, "All your babies in one room."

Frank chuckled, "Now that's some kind of Heaven." He held Denise close, "Get some sleep, our grandson or our daughter will wake us before long." He held her close as she dozed; he laid awake watching over his family. Denise woke up to the smell of coffee and Molly patting her face.

"MAMAMA" Molly said laughing. Denise sat up and picked her up "Is Daddy making breakfast, peanut?" Just then the door opens and Frank walks in with a loaded tray complete with a rose. "Good Morning and Happy Mother's Day, Dee!"

"Waffles and no smoke alarm?" she laughed sitting up. "How did you pull that off?"

"Careful planning. There's also hazelnut coffee, little smoky sausages, and real maple syrup; all for my special lady and princess." He put the tray on the bed as Denise sat Molly in her lap.

Just then Jeremy started to cry and Frank leaned over and picked him up. "You hungry little man, got your bottle right here all ready to go."

"Look Molly daddy has everything ready, wow!"

"Wow!" Molly repeated.

Denise ate her meal then the door bell rang. Frank sighed, "That's not Tanya." He got up and opened the door to Roxy and Pamela. He stood in front of those two women like stone fortress. "You ladies are not seeing her today, I'm sorry."

"We just wanted to say Happy Mother's Day to her."

"Well right now she is with our daughter and grandson and I don't want to disturb her . I will tell her you stopped by. Thank you for coming."

He closed the door before they could answer. Roxy and Pamela walked away miffed at Frank's arrogance. He didn't want her good mood tainted in any way.

Denise ate her meal and stepped into the shower. Frank got Molly and the baby ready to go out, Frank was last to get ready. By the time he was done, Tanya arrived, "Oh there's my baby boy!" she squealed and loved all over him. "How did you two manage to look so good with no sleep?"

Denise smiled at her. "We slept fine, the baby was in our room and Molly slept with us, one big happy family." She crossed to her daughter-in-law. "Oh Tanya Happy Mother's Day!"

Tanya hugged her in return. "You to Denise, I have flowers outside on the bench. Let me get them."

The flowers were gorgeous, Frank and Denise gave Tanya a bouquet as well. "I have another present for you," Frank said. He handed her a wrapped bottle of fennel seed. "Make a tea out of this three times a day, put it in his bottle; fixes the colic belly very easily. You ladies about ready to eat?"

They nodded and filed out to Denise's car. Frank put Jeremy's car seat in the back next to Molly's. Tanya put both babies into their seats and got then got in herself.

Frank drove to the cemetery and Denise looked at him. "I can't Frank."

"Dee I want to pay my respects to my son, then spoil his mother and almost wife. I think you should too. Jeremy would want you too."

Denise looked at Tanay and nodded. Three minutes later they were at the grave site and Tanya placed roses next to the headstone. "I love you Jeremy, so does your son."

Frank touched the headstone and bent his head. "I'll see he's raised well, better than you were, I promise." Denise touched the headstone and whispered "I love you."

Molly looked at the stone and said "Jmy".

"Yeah, baby girl that's your brother Jeremy," he replied. Denise started to cry, so did Tanya. Molly pointed to them, "Uh oh...Uh oh..." Frank held them both. "Okay, baby. Let's go to Mommy's surprise."

He held her hands and they piled back in the car and drove to Denise's favorite dockside restaurant for dinner. It was filled with families of all sizes and shapes...in fact, their little group didn't look so off balance after all.

As frank got the chilled champagne, he lifted his glass, "To my wife whom I love more everyday and to my almost daughter-in- law who will always be a part of our family. I love you both with all my heart. Happy Mother's day. Thank you Dee for my children and Tanya for my grandson; I know Jeremy is looking down and smiling. Now, as Jeremy would say, let's eat!"

Molly clapped her hands and everybody laughed. For Denise and Tanya mother's day would always be bittersweet, but often it's those moments that are life's most precious.


End file.
